The US Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) missile defense system was used yesterday to intercept a ballistic missile launched at Israel from Yemen. The missile was reportedly fired by the Iran-backed group Houthi rebels.
The THAAD system deployed by the United States to Israel was activated for the first time to intercept the missile in October, The Times of Israel reported. Footage circulated on social media shows the system launching an interceptor, with an American soldier saying, “For eighteen years I’ve been waiting for this.”
While the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) confirmed the interception of the missile, they did not specify whether the system used was Israeli or American. However, security sources told the Walla news site that THAAD successfully shot down the missile, the report said.
The deployment of THAAD in Israel followed a ballistic missile attack by Iran on October 1. The advanced system is capable of intercepting missiles both inside and outside the Earth’s atmosphere.
Correct. You can hear one of the American soldiers feeling emotional “I lived with this for 18 years” pic.twitter.com/s4VoMfMhaF
— itai Blumenthal ?? Itay Blumenthal (@ItayBlumenthal) 27 December 2024
The THAAD system developed by the United States is designed to intercept short, medium, and intermediate-range ballistic missiles during their terminal phase. Unlike conventional systems, THAAD relies on kinetic energy to neutralize threats, destroying incoming missiles on impact rather than explosive warheads.
A standard THAAD battery consists of six truck-mounted launchers, each capable of fielding eight interceptors with a radar and a fire control system. The system’s radar can detect threats at ranges of 870 to 3,000 kilometers.
The Houthi missile launch was the fifth such attack on Israel in just eight days. The Iran-backed group has claimed to have targeted Ben Gurion Airport. In response, Israeli warplanes launched strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, including the Hezias power plant and infrastructure at Sanaa International Airport.
According to the IDF, the Houthis have launched more than 200 missiles and 170 drones at Israel in the past year, however, most of these threats were intercepted or fell short of their targets. The group has also disrupted commercial shipping in the Red Sea, targeting more than 100 merchant ships and forcing carriers to divert course.
The Houthis have apparently linked their actions to the ongoing conflict in Gaza, which erupted after Palestinian group Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023.
